Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cutting device and more particularly to a cutting device coupled to a water vessel propelling device.
Background of the Invention
With the invention of the electric trolling motor in 1934, it joined the ranks of low horsepower motors used on small boats. Many of these boat/motor combinations are used in weed infested waters by fishermen, hunters and the like. The problem of aquatic vegetation fouling the motor and propeller has consistently plagued users.
Attempts to solve the fouling problem have primarily centered about development of “weedless” propellers. Although some level of success has been achieved in the development of these devices, aquatic vegetation fouling of the motor tube, which extends from the mounting point on the boat downward to the propeller assembly continues to cause problems for the user.
There have been many in the prior art who have attempted to solve these problems with varying degrees of success. None, however completely satisfies the requirements for a complete solution to the aforestated problem. The following U. S. patents are attempts of the prior art to solve this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,893 to Vollmar discloses a weed guard for electric trolling motors including a generally semi-cylindrical lower portion to embrace the bottom portion of the electric motor and a forwardly upwardly angle portion from the lower portion, terminating at a point somewhat above the normal water line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,420 to Lonnecker discloses a cutter of standing vegetation having a boom to which is connected at one end a hinge from which projects a reciprocating type sickle, and is suspended centrally from a pivoting handle. A control rod is connected to the pivoting handle and runs parallel to the greater length of the boom. The rod is further connected in a pivoting fashion to a control lobe which is connected at right angles to the nonmoving part of the sickle. A motor and gearbox assembly which produces reciprocating motion is mounted at the other end of the boom and has a reciprocating power-take-off to which is clamped a reciprocating flexible drive shaft. The drive shaft runs to and is clamped upon the moving part of the sickle and is supported, braced, and channeled, by a flexible covering which terminates in two extension points. One extension point is near the reciprocating power takeoff, the other of which is near the moving part of the sickle, which terminates in another reciprocating power-take-off to which a detachable saw blade is mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,871 to Mendelevitch discloses an upper and a lower blade fixed together at an adjustable angle and having means for mounting same on the leading edge of the propeller drive housing of an inboard/outboard motor to cut kelp and other seaweed which would otherwise foul the prop and clog the cool, sea water input vents. The cutter has adjustable brackets which will accommodate a wide variety of different types of propeller drive housings, and will accommodate outboard motors as well as inboard motors, and will even fit on the advance edge a sailboat keel. In one embodiment, it has a combination brace/mesh screen which extends from the cutter to the propeller drive housing in front of the cooling water inlets to keep bits of seaweed and other debris from entering and clogging the cooling system, causing overheating the destruction of the motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,281 to Govan discloses a device mounted in encircling relation to a propeller shaft. The device cuts lines, nets and weeds, thus preventing entanglement of the propeller and preventing entanglement damage which may result to the parts of the driven assembly of the outboard, inboard/outboard or trolling motor used to propel vessels through the water. The device includes a non-rotatable, annular cutting ring member having one or more double-edged cutting blades, disposed in sandwiched relation to two rotatable annular members. One of the rotatable members carries no cutting blades, and the second rotatable member carries a plurality of double-edged, circumferentially spaced blades that individually cooperate with the non-rotatable blade in a shearing action. The non-rotatable member includes a protruding, forwardly expanding, wedge member, the wedge member being configured to define a forwardly opening wedge-shaped cavity. The protruding wedge members cavity enters into abutting engagement with the propeller shaft housing attendant rotation of the propeller shaft. The propeller shaft housing enters into fine engagement with the forwardly opening wedge-shaped cavity substantially instantaneously upon the introduction of a load on the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,255 to Faunda discloses a weedguard for attachment to electric trolling motors having a motor housing and a motor support shaft. The weedguard comprises a lower triangular frame member portion and an upper arm portion. The triangular frame portion has a flange for attachment to the motor housing so that the triangular frame portion has one apex toward the front of the motor housing and extends downwardly and rearwardly from the apex with respect to the motor housing. The upper arm portion is secured to the triangular frame portion at that apex and extends upwardly and forwardly therefrom. A rearward extension member extends from the upper arm portion toward the motor shaft for attachment to the motor shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,664 to Gremillion discloses a weed cutting and shredding attachment for an electric trolling motor. The invention includes a sharpened cutting blade oriented with the sharp edge thereof adjacent to the path of movement of the leading edge of the propeller blades on an electric trolling motor together with a mounting structure for effectively mounting the cutting element from the trolling motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,412 to Karls discloses a weed deflector provided by a bar mounted to the driveshaft housing of a marine drive. The bar has a top portion extending forwardly from the driveshaft housing to a forward leading tip and has a lower portion bent downwardly and rearwardly and tapered back to and mounted to the driveshaft housing. The space between the forward leading tip and the driveshaft housing is open so that it does not affect steering of the marine drive. The tapered portion of the bar forces weeds to slide downwardly and rearwardly therealong and off of the driveshaft housing. The bar prevents weeds from wrapping around the strut portion and covering cooling water inlets or interfering with the propeller or propeller efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,565 to Jacobson discloses a guard attachable to the lower unit of an outboard motor preventing direct impact between submerged hazards and the elements of the lower unit. The guard includes two angle brackets, a rigid bar attached to the angle brackets at a top end, and a skeg pocket and fin attached to a lower portion of the bar. The guard descends from a position forward of and substantially level with, the cavitation plate to a point below the skeg. The guard prevents damage to the entire lower unit, including the propeller, upon impact with a submerged obstacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,168 to Jenson discloses an underwater lake weed cutting apparatus which is adapted to be driven by an electric auger motor from the rear portion of a boat. The weed cutting apparatus includes an elongated drive shaft extending through an elongated tubular housing, wherein the drive shaft is driven by the motor to consequently reciprocate a sickle bar at a lower end thereof. A geared driving mechanism converts rotary motion of the drive shaft to a reciprocating motion of a sickle bar to reciprocate a first elongated toothed cutting blade with respect to an identical second toothed cutting blade to generate a scissors action. The scissors action of the sickle bar severs lake weeds as the apparatus is swept through the water proximate the lake bottom by a boat. The cutting apparatus can be adjusted to various depths of water to facilitate cutting lake weeds proximate the root structure near the lake bottom. The invention provides a mechanized method of cutting lake weeds such that the task of cutting lake weeds requires less labor, and wherein the cutting apparatus is easily maneuverable around fixed structures such as docks. The invention comprises mostly aluminum steel parts such that it is relatively light weight. Since the sickle bar comprises reciprocating blades, weeds do not have a tendancy to build up upon the cutting apparatus. The invention is portable and can be adapted to the front wall of a boat as well, and further, the cutting apparatus can be angled from the boat at a preselected angle to facilitate viewing the cutting blades as they are swept through the lake to cut the weeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,998 to Albrecht discloses an aquatic weed cutter having a continuous cable strung along the horizontal and vertical members of an inverted T-shaped cable frame. The cable is moved by a motor drive in a circuit between opposed sheaves on the ends of the horizontal and vertical members. The drive comprises a pair of engaging belts which hold the cable therebetween and drive it about the circuit. Cutting clips are attached at spaced intervals to the cable for cutting the stems of underwater plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,150 to Minter, Sr. discloses a blade system for mounting on a marine motor such as an electric trolling motor. The device cuts weeds and other aquatic vegetation that normally entangle the submerged motor and propeller. In a first embodiment the blade system is characterized by a fixed installation in which one or more blades are mounted directly on the motor, or blade mounts are molded or cast into the motor to receive the blades. The blades are typically secured to the motor or blade mounts by bolts and extend toward the propeller, preferably in angular relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor housing, to cut the aquatic vegetation as the submerged motor operates. In a second embodiment the blade system can be implemented as a retrofit, wherein the blades are bolted or otherwise mounted on the motor or on removable blade mounts secured to the motor by means of one or more hose clamps. The blades are typically secured to the removable blade mounts by means of bolts to position the blades in essentially the same configuration on the motor as in the fixed mount embodiment.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art of preventing boat motor fouling by aquatic vegetation, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for removing accumulated aquatic vegetation from an outboard or trolling motor.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for removing accumulated aquatic vegetation from an outboard or trolling motor which is easy to install on and existing motor.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for removing accumulated aquatic vegetation from an outboard or trolling motor that is simple for the operator to use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for removing accumulated aquatic vegetation from an outboard or trolling motor that is easy to cost effectively produce.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.